1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method applied to the same, an image processing program for implementing the method, and a storage medium storing the program. In particular, the present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital multi-function machine that displays help information relating to an operating manual for machine functions, an image processing method applied to the apparatus, an image processing program for implementing the method, and a storage medium storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, digital multi-function machines are provided with a wide range of functions such as a copying function, a printing function, a facsimile transmission function, a transmission function, and a linkage function with the Internet. As a result, an operating manual showing how to operate such machine functions tends to be of a large volume.
It can thus take a long time to find an explanation of operation of a desired machine function from the operating manual. When any desired volume or set of volumes of the operating manual is not at hand, users cannot quickly know how to operate the desired machine function.
Some multi-function machines are therefore designed to provide a guide function to display on their operating screen an operating manual relating to machine functions. However, the amount of memory available for the guide function is typically limited, thus the operating manual to be displayed must be simplified in order to display a variety of machine functions available on the multi-function machine. Consequently, users cannot sometimes carry out a desired machine function even with reference to the operating manual displayed on the operating screen based on the guide function. This is because the displayed manual is too simple and does not include sufficient explanation of operations of the desired machine function.
To obviate such a situation, an attempt has been made to digitize an operating manual providing sufficient explanations of operations of machine functions and cause the digitized manual to be stored in a hard disk of a multi-function machine or distributed from an external server to the multi-function machine, so that the manual can be viewed on the operating panel of the multi-function machine (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-282501, for example). This enables users to quickly know in sufficient detail how to operate a desired machine function even if no operating manual is at hand. Further, a multi-function machine having a large-sized screen on the operating panel improves visibility of an operating manual listing displayed on the operating panel.
In general, however, images used for displaying the operating manual on the operating panel are designed to conform to the originally envisaged machine configuration or option settings of the multi-function machine, the displayed operating manual sometimes does not conform to a machine environment configured for an individual user. For instance, when a user is not authorized to use the transmission function of the multi-function machine, the transmission function is masked and is not displayed on the operating panel in actual use of the machine. Nevertheless, the operating manual displayed is the same as that for users authorized to use the transmission function. Undesirably, the displayed manual includes unnecessary explanations of the transmission function.
In an ordinary multi-function machine, an individual user can install a favorite key for calling out special function frequently used by the user on the screen of the multi-function machine. However, the user-customized favorite key is not shown in the operating manual, and thus screen contents actually displayed in the multi-function machine do not coincide with those shown in the operating manual, which can confuse the user.